He loves our nation
Published Sep 12, 2022 12:05 am
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The centurion’s nationality is not clear, but he is certainly not Jewish. Since Galilee at this time was not a part of the Roman prov-ince, the centurion is probably a veteran who assists Herod Antipas in his police force modeled along Roman lines. As an officer representing Rome, he must have brokered imperial resources for the local population, like building a synagogue for which he is recognized as a patron. His kindness is also evident in his effort to obtain healing for his slave.
The centurion “loved” the Jewish nation, but did not go to the extent of converting to the religion of the Jews. While admiring and following the moral prescriptions of the Mosaic Law, like the Decalogue, he would not have embraced circumcision or strictly followed the kosher laws on dietary cleanliness. His kindness as attested to by the people is repaid by Jesus with the cure of his servant. Do you know people who are generous even to those who are not of their own kind or religion? Do you try to imitate their example?
Gospel • Lk 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
The centurion’s nationality is not clear, but he is certainly not Jewish. Since Galilee at this time was not a part of the Roman prov-ince, the centurion is probably a veteran who assists Herod Antipas in his police force modeled along Roman lines. As an officer representing Rome, he must have brokered imperial resources for the local population, like building a synagogue for which he is recognized as a patron. His kindness is also evident in his effort to obtain healing for his slave.
The centurion “loved” the Jewish nation, but did not go to the extent of converting to the religion of the Jews. While admiring and following the moral prescriptions of the Mosaic Law, like the Decalogue, he would not have embraced circumcision or strictly followed the kosher laws on dietary cleanliness. His kindness as attested to by the people is repaid by Jesus with the cure of his servant. Do you know people who are generous even to those who are not of their own kind or religion? Do you try to imitate their example?
Gospel • Lk 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.